Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the launch of nine 'Clean Plant' projects across India, with three to be established in Maharashtra at a cost of Rs 300 crore. These projects aim to provide disease-free planting materials to farmers, with a focus on grapes in Pune, oranges in Nagpur, and pomegranates in Solapur.
Speaking at the concluding session of India’s first International Agri Hackathon held in Pune on June 3, Chouhan highlighted that modern nurseries would be developed alongside these projects to supply eight crore healthy seedlings annually. “Maharashtra's horticulture will be able to compete with the world,” he said, adding that international cooperation from countries like Israel and the Netherlands will support the initiative.
Chouhan praised Maharashtra’s significant achievements in horticulture and noted that the state has become a leading hub for grapes, pomegranates, oranges, chickpeas, and various vegetables.
“Maharashtra has emerged as a horticulture hub of the country. The combined efforts of the Government and the hard work of its farmers have set an example for the rest of the nation,” he stated.
He also mentioned that Rs 3 crore will be provided for large nurseries and Rs 1.5 crore for medium-sized ones, with these nurseries promoting the use of technology in agriculture.
During the event, Chouhan reiterated the goal of making India a developed nation and stressed that this vision cannot be realized without prosperous farmers and advanced agriculture. “This resolution cannot be realized in reality without developed agriculture and prosperous farmers,” he said. He called for increasing per-hectare yields, reducing production costs, ensuring fair prices, and compensating farmers for losses.
To bridge the gap between scientific research and farmers, he highlighted the government’s decision to launch the 'Lab to Land' initiative, under which 16,000 agricultural scientists will work directly with farmers and government departments. “Scientists work in laboratories to produce good seeds, increase production and diagnose diseases. However, their research does not reach the farmers in a timely manner,” he said.
Refuting the belief that today’s youth are not interested in agriculture, the Minister urged young people to use their skills and launch agricultural startups. He also underlined the need to develop seed varieties that can withstand climate change to avoid crop damage.
“The government will leave no stone unturned to solve every problem of the farmers,” he assured. Chouhan further stated that after meeting domestic food needs, India must aim to become a food bank for the world. “We resolve to export the country’s agricultural products all over the world… Maharashtra will play an important role in this,” he said, appealing to farmers to contribute to the nation’s development.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was also present at the event, pointed out that climate change has created serious challenges for agriculture. He stressed the importance of integrating modern technology into farming practices and ensuring that the innovations showcased during the hackathon are taken directly to the fields.
“If this revolution in the field of agricultural technology is taken forward, it will increase the productivity of agriculture,” he said, urging stakeholders to support the incubation and deployment of useful technologies.
The hackathon concluded with awards presented to innovative startups, agri-tech entrepreneurs, and progressive farmers. Winners were recognized for their work in areas such as Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture, Soil Health Management, Farm Mechanization, Pest-Disease Management, Post-Harvest Technologies, Market Linkages, and more.
